In this first episode, I confront the emotional armor I developed to survive a turbulent childhood. My ambition led me to my first job at Apple, a formative experience and rare opportunity to learn about the Apple brand from the inside. But I struggled to make an impact or feel heard by my manager, and my insecurity and frustration got the best of me. Reflecting on these events, I can take responsibility for my part and share lessons from my first real leadership test.

Theme song: “Breaking Out” by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

Connect: Follow the journey on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Want to bring this kind of real talk to your company or stage? Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com⁠

(0:00) Intro – How Do You Get Fired Four Times?

(3:50) Childhood – Learning to Armor Up Early

(7:37) Mom – Struggling With My Dad's Parenting

(9:13) Leadership – My Way of Coping With Chaos

(11:04) Mom – Noticing My Natural Leadership Early On

(14:20) Running From Rejection Into Overachievement

(17:23) Mom – Going Into Protection Mode

(20:04) Landing the Apple Job

(20:45) Insecure Around My Roommate Eric

(23:22) Learning About Apple From the Inside

(24:17) Teresa – Having Empathy for the Customer

(28:38) iPad Launch – Steve Jobs on Getting Uncomfortable

(30:14) Feeling Unfulfilled Even at Apple

(31:32) Frustrations Got the Better of Me

(32:24) Teresa – A Very Hush Hush Departure

(37:02) Reflection – I Could Have Handled It Better

(38:35) Riding the Emotional Rollercoaster

(39:10) Keeping the Truth a Secret

(39:31) Eric – Failure, Discernment and Moving On